Things You Probably Didn’t Know About How To Replace Garage Door Cable

The garage door cable is a seemingly modest but vital safety mechanism in a garage door.

Why You Need a Garage Door CableGarage door springs are alternately stressed and fatigued, and these alternating forces weaken the springs more than time. An uncabled garage door spring that breaks will recoil with a violent force that, at ideal, will leave a nasty dent in a vehicle, and at worst, can kill a particular person. The garage door cable that runs by way of the spring prevents the springfrom recoiling and permits a broken spring to drop harmlessly.

Danger!The danger that is prevented by the garage door cable is created by the tension in the spring. Because the cable is broken, it is important to understand this danger. If you do not feel confident in dealing with high-tension springs, get in touch with a repairman. It is not worth the potential injury just to save a few dollars.

Release the TensionJust before attempting to replace the garage door cable, you should release the tension in the garage door springs. Open the garage door fully, and in order to avoid the door from sliding down, location a couple of c-clamps on the track just below the door’s lowest wheel. When the door is securely open, you should be able to effortlessly unhook the springs, replace the cable, and hook up the springs once more. Do not attempt to unhook the springs if you have not released the tension!